Former President Donald Trump narrowly leads Vice President Kamala Harris in betting odds as they head into their first debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Trump took the lead this week after trailing behind Harris during the Harris-Walz ticket’s honeymoon period. At Betfair Exchange, Trump stands at -108 compared to Harris’ +114.
Previous presidential debates have proven to significantly impact betting odds. In 2024, Biden was the underdog against Trump before a disastrous debate that caused Biden’s odds to skyrocket. In 2020, Biden was favored over Trump before their first debate, and his lead extended after the debate.
Historically, the betting favorite has only lost twice in presidential elections since 1866. The most notable upset was in 2016 when Hillary Clinton, the favorite, lost to Trump. Another upset occurred in 1948 when Harry Truman defeated Thomas Dewey against odds.
To watch the upcoming presidential debate, viewers can tune in to The ABC News Presidential Debate Simulcast on the USA TODAY channel at 9 p.m. EDT. Betting odds for the upcoming presidential election are closely monitored by various sources such as Bet 365, Bovada, BetOnline, and Oddschecker. It will be interesting to see how the debate impacts the odds and if they accurately predict the outcome of the election.
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